1982-1989: Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii (Honolulu, HI)

1980-1982: Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)

Notable Matters:

In 2003, Governor Linda Lingle appointed Mr. Bennett Attorney General of Hawaii. Mr. Bennett was the first attorney general appointed by a Republican governor since the governorship of William F. Quinn, the first elected governor of Hawaii.

Mr. Bennett has argued and briefed numerous cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Hawaii Supreme Court. Mr. Bennett has also argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court in Hawaii v. Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 556 U.S. 163 (2009), and Lingle v. Chevron, 544 U.S. 528 (2005). As an AUSA in Washington D.C. and Honolulu, Mr. Bennett litigated both criminal and civil cases.

Mr. Bennett is a recipient of the U.S. Department of Justice Leadership Award (2009); the Hawaii Law Enforcement Elwood J. McGuire Award for Contributions to Law Enforcement (2007); and the Attorney General’s Special Achievement Award (1986)

Professional Affiliations: Mr. Bennett is afellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers